Belt-shifter mechanism.



W. OESTERLEIN.

BELT SHIFTER MECHANISM APPLICATION FILED JULY 9. I913.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

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Y WILLIAM oEsmnR nI oF cINoIN Am oHIo, ASSIGNOR 'o THE oEsrrnnLEIN MACHI COIVLBANY, or cINoINNAT 01 110, ACQRPORATIQN or oIIIo.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, WILL AM OESTERLEIN, a citizen of-the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, in'the county 1 of Hamilton and State of Qhio; have in- The object of the invention herein is to provide a pair of belt-shifters for the belt that is disposed vertically and has one shifter mounted adjacent the counter-shaft so as to move the upper bight or turn in the belt laterally along' -the upper stepped-cone and another shifter that"i'sadapted to be mounted on the machine to be driven and operated in connection with the lowerbight or turn in the beltwhereby said lower bight in the belt is carried laterally along the lower stepped-cone on the machine, and both shifters being adapted to be operated in an easy and positive manner to meet the wants of either a slower or a greater speed in the running of said machine, the operating means of both shifters being closely adjacent and convenient to the hand or hands of the operator.

The details of the invention will be fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device complete, showing both the upper and lower shifters in connection with the upper and lower stepped-cones, respectively, with the belt in position for the highest speed to which the machine is adapted and, also, showing a fragment of the machine and broken-off parts of the counter-shaft above; Fig. 2, a side-elevation of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the right-hand side of said Fig. 1, but omitting the machine to be driven and its shifter device; Fig. 3, a plan view of Fig. 2, but omitting the belt and cone-pulley; Fig. 4, a detail plan, showing the lower shifter device, with the guide-rod and the rack-bar broken off and with the belt and the machine to be driven omitted; and Fig. 5, a detail elevation showing the lower belt- H Specificatipn of Letters Patent.

PatentedJan. 2, 1917.

- Application filed Ju1y 9,1913. Serial No. 778,192.

carrier together with its operating-pinion, rack-bar and manipulating hand-wheel.

' 1 indicates a vertical belt used in machine driving; 2 an upper stepped-cone mounted on the counter-shaft 3, which latter, in turn, has a bearing in hanger 51 that is suspended or supported from the ceiling or structure 5 above, as customary. The lower end of thehanger 1 is provided with a rectangularly-pierced eye/'6 from which-projects a horizontal bar 7, the latter being adjustably and detachably connected to said eye 6 by means of the set-screw 8. A rectangular carrier -loop or open frame -9 has arectangular eye or opening provided in-its' rear thickened walllO that engages the horizontal bar 7 and is adapted to slide thereover in opposite directions so that when the belt 1 is engaged within the carrier-loop or open frame 9 the 'latter may serve to draw the said belt laterally over the stepped cone or pulley 2 in either direction, ascending or descending the cone to suit the desired speed of the machine to be driven.

11 indicates a vertical shaft having a hand-wheel 12 at its lower end and passing through an upper guide-way 13 projecting from the hanger 4 rearwardly and duly stepped at its upper end in the rear end 14 of the hanger supporting-flange, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

15 indicates a horizontal arm or lever adjustably secured at one end to the vertical shaft 11 and having pivotal-connection at 16 with one end of a link or connecting-bar 17, the latter, in turn, being pivotally-connected at 18 with the bottom of said thickened portion 10 of the carrier-loop 9, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 8. The hand-wheel 12 is conveniently located for the operator of the machine so that he can readily shift the belt at its upper portion in either direction when desired.

19 indicates a fragment of the frame of the machine to be driven, 20 indicating the lower stepped-cone duly mounted in such frame 19, and 21 an open rectangular carrier loop or frame having a lug or formation 22 at one lower corner thereof that is duly pierced for engagement along a guide bar or rod 23, the latter, in turn, being mounted at its opposite ends in the outer ends of bracket-arms 2a that extend from the upper ends of the forks 25, 25, of the machine-frame.

26 indicates a horizontal toothed rack-bar (Ill lying parallel to the guide-bar 23 and also mounted in the bracket-arms 24, but at the inner ends thereof. The rack-bar 26 extends through an opening or passage-way in the rear thickened portion 27 of the lower shifter loop or carrier 21, as best seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and a pinion 28 is adapted to engage said rack-bar for the positive manipulation or movement back and forth of the lower carrier-loop in connection with the'lower bight-part of the belt '1 when it is desired to shift said lower bight-part of the belt along the lower stepped-cone 20 in either direction, ascending or descending. Said pinion 28 is mounted in a box 29 projecting upwardly from one end of the lower shifter-loop 21 and is mounted on a trans-V verse shaft 30 that extends through the-said end of the carrier-loop 21 and has a handwheel 31 mounted on the outer end thereof for use in manipulating the lower shifterframe in connection with'the lower bightpart of the belt. Said hand-wheel 31 may Y be substituted 'by an ordinary crank lever or arm if desired.

Inuse, the two shifter mechanisms or devices are best supplied together, and are thereby adapted to operate in connection with both the upper and lower bights or turns in the belt, the hand-wheels of both devices being convenient to the operator and operated independently. The belt is shifted in a positive manner and not liable to fly from the face of the pulleys at any time,

either while running straight ahead in the operation of the machine or while being shifted.

I claim In a belt-shifting mechanism, the combination of a suitable hanger, a horizontal pulley-shaft journaling in said hanger, a

vertical endless belt adapted to cooperate with a machine to be driven, a carrier-loop through which the belt is passed along one of its vertical portions, a horizontal bar ad- 4 justably mounted on said hanger beneath said pulley-shaft and on which the carrierloop is mounted and adapted to reciprocate,

vertical shaft, and a horizontal link pivotally-connecting the said lateral arm or-lever with the said carrier-loop.

WILLIAM OESTERLEIN.

Witnesses:

7 JOHN ELIAS "JONES LORETTA LUCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

